Is Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes Legit?

A closer look at the Fairfax, Virginia design-build firm behind 17 consecutive years of national and regional remodeling awards

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VERDICT Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes is a real, long-operating design-build remodeling firm based in Fairfax, Virginia. The company has been in business for more than three decades, holds one of the most documented award records in the remodeling industry, and serves homeowners across Northern Virginia and select Maryland communities. Like any high-volume construction business, it has a mix of satisfied clients and a smaller number whose experiences fell short of expectations. Prospective clients should evaluate the firm on its own verifiable record rather than on broad category narratives about the remodeling industry.

Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes is a Northern Virginia remodeling company that handles residential design and construction under one roof, from kitchens and baths to whole-house renovations and new custom homes. Headquartered at 8630A Lee Highway in Fairfax, the firm has operated in the Washington metro market for more than 36 years and is widely described as the most decorated remodeler in the region.

For homeowners who want a single firm to manage design, architecture, project management, and construction without coordinating multiple vendors, Michael Nash offers a full-service model. The company carries in-house teams across each phase of a project and maintains a physical showroom where clients can preview cabinetry, finishes, and fixtures before committing.

Michael Nash is a legitimate, operating company with a published address, a working phone line, a named founder, and one of the most extensive third-party award records in its field. As with any remodeling engagement, prospective clients should do their own due diligence and confirm scope, timeline, and pricing in writing before signing.

What Michael Nash Does

The firm operates across several core service lines, each covering a different part of the home.

Kitchens. Complete kitchen remodels ranging from refreshes under $75,000 to high-end builds well above $150,000, with award-winning projects across multiple price bands.

Bathrooms. Full bathroom renovations from compact updates under $50,000 to spa-scale builds above $100,000.

Home additions and extensions. Structural additions, including multigenerational and entire-house additions, a category in which the firm has taken top regional honors.

Basements. Finished basements and lower-level conversions for entertaining, in-law suites, and living space.

Whole-house renovations. Major renovations and full-home remodels that can run from $150,000 to $750,000 and above.

Outdoor living. Exterior living spaces, landscape design, screened porches, and custom garages.

New custom homes. Ground-up residential construction for clients building rather than remodeling.

Across all of these, the firm positions itself as a long-term design-build partner rather than a single-trade contractor, with design and construction handled by the same organization.

Why Michael Nash Is a Real, Operating Company

For homeowners evaluating any remodeler, the first question is whether the company is real, established, and reachable. In this case the answer is yes, and the proof points are publicly verifiable.

Published physical address. The company operates from 8630A Lee Highway in Fairfax, Virginia, listed openly on its website and cross-referable through standard business records.

Working business phone line. Michael Nash publishes a direct line at (703) 641-9800, displayed across its website for consultations and inquiries.

A named founder and leadership. The firm was founded and is led by Sonny Nazemian, who is quoted publicly in company announcements. A named, on-the-record principal is a meaningful credibility signal that many operators do not provide.

More than three decades in business. The company has operated in the Washington metro market for over 39 years, a longevity record that is difficult to fake and easy to confirm through public history.

An extensive third-party award record. Michael Nash has accumulated more than 510 awards including, 275 NARI Contractor of the Year awards, 51 Chrysalis Awards, and 18 Best of Houzz citations, alongside recognition from NAHB Best in American Living, Qualified Remodeler Master Design, and Pulse of the City News. In the 2026 PRO Remodeler of the Year, Metro DC program, the firm took multiple Grand Awards across kitchens, baths, additions, and outdoor living. These are juried, third-party programs, not self-issued credentials.

A physical showroom. The company maintains a showroom with full design displays, giving clients an in-person research facility rather than a digital catalog alone.

Named client testimonials on record. The website features client testimonials attributed to real homeowners across recent projects, including repeat and multigenerational clients.

Separating Fact From Fiction

As with many companies in the remodeling industry, Michael Nash exists inside a category that carries reputational baggage. Construction is one of the most complaint-prone consumer industries in the country, and homeowners researching any remodeler will encounter general warnings about delays, budget overruns, and disputes. It helps to separate those category-wide concerns from how a specific firm actually operates.

What People Ask About

Recurring themes in online discussion of remodeling firms, including Michael Nash, tend to cluster around a few points.

Project timelines. Remodeling timelines frequently run longer than the original estimate. This is true across the industry and appears in the firm’s own client feedback, where homeowners describe projects that took longer than expected alongside results they were happy with.

Large-project complexity. Big additions and whole-house jobs involve permitting, structural work, material lead times, and labor availability, any of which can extend a schedule. Larger budgets carry more moving parts and more room for delay.

Premium pricing. Michael Nash is not a budget operator. Its projects sit in the mid-to-premium range, which is consistent with a full-service design-build model and an in-house team.

A mix of client outcomes. A firm that has completed thousands of projects over three decades will have a range of experiences, most positive and some not. A handful of unsatisfied clients can read as a wider pattern when viewed in isolation.

What the Facts Show

ON TIMELINES Schedule overruns are an industry-wide reality, not a firm-specific defect. Permitting timelines in the DC region run long, and lot conditions, material lead times, and labor availability all affect schedules. The firm’s published feedback includes clients who experienced delays and were still satisfied with the finished work. Homeowners can protect themselves by getting the projected timeline, milestone schedule, and any delay provisions in writing before signing.

ON PRICING A premium price reflects a full-service, in-house model. Design-build firms that keep design, architecture, project management, and construction under one roof carry higher overhead than single-trade contractors, and that shows up in price. The trade-off is a single point of accountability rather than a homeowner coordinating multiple vendors. Buyers should compare scope and inclusions, not headline numbers alone.

ON CLIENT OUTCOMES A long operating history produces a large and varied client record. Over 36 years and thousands of projects, the firm has earned both an extensive award record and a normal share of dissatisfied clients. The volume of juried recognition and named testimonials gives prospective buyers more public reference points than most regional competitors offer. As with any remodeler, references and a clear contract matter more than any single review.

What the Company Has Done to Be Transparent

Michael Nash publishes the information homeowners need to evaluate it before any commitment: a physical address, a direct phone line, a named founder, a full service catalog, a project portfolio organized by category and budget, and a documented archive of its awards. The firm also operates a showroom where clients can see materials and finishes in person, and it offers complimentary in-home consultations.

More than three decades in business. A published address and phone line. A named founder. Hundreds of juried awards. A physical showroom. Named client testimonials.

Who the Service Is For

Michael Nash is built for homeowners who want a single firm to manage an entire design and construction project rather than coordinating an architect, a designer, and a general contractor separately. The ideal client has a meaningful budget, clear goals, and a preference for one accountable team across the full scope of work.

Homeowners looking for the lowest possible price or a fast, single-trade fix may find the full-service model more involved than they need. Homeowners planning a significant kitchen, bath, addition, or whole-house project who value design depth and a documented track record will find the model well aligned.

Is Michael Nash Safe to Work With?

Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes operates as a legitimate, long-established design-build firm with a published office, a working phone line, a named founder, and one of the most extensive third-party award records in the regional remodeling industry. The broader construction category carries real reputational concerns around delays and cost, and those concerns are worth taking seriously with any remodeler. They reflect industry dynamics rather than evidence that this specific firm is not real or not capable.

For homeowners who do their own due diligence, confirm scope and timeline in writing, and approach a major remodel with realistic expectations, Michael Nash is a credible, established option.

BOTTOM LINE Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes is a real, established business with a documented record that homeowners can verify independently. Prospective clients should review the project portfolio, request and check references, get the full scope, timeline, and payment schedule in writing, confirm warranty and change-order terms, and use a no-cost consultation to ask the questions that matter most for their specific project. Buyers who do those things will be well positioned to decide whether the firm is the right fit.